


Love Changes Everything

by RosevalleyNB



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe - Hogwarts, F/M, Friendship, Not Canon Compliant - Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, One Shot Collection, Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-01-01
Updated: 2020-06-29
Packaged: 2021-02-27 08:33:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 2,664
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22074079
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RosevalleyNB/pseuds/RosevalleyNB
Summary: If you strip it down to its very core, it's nothing more than a story about a boy and a girl falling in love and sharing a life together; everything else is just window-dressing.An expansion of a story once told in fifty sentences.
Relationships: Angelina Johnson/Graham Montague
Comments: 2
Kudos: 14





	1. Pretend

**Author's Note:**

> Usual disclaimers apply.
> 
> Not so long ago, in another life almost, under a different penname, I wrote **[this](https://my-old-fics.livejournal.com/26008.html)** one-shot. The challenge was to write a story in 50 sentences only. It became the story of Angelina and Graham. A story that deserves more than run-on sentences and grammatical atrocities. If you read the original one-shot, you'll know how it'll end, but that doesn't matter. This is the story of how they got there.
> 
> Enjoy!

“My oh my,” said Katie Bell. Her chest heaved as she let out an overly exaggerated, longing sigh. When that did not garner the desired attention, she roughly nudged her friend, who was rummaging in her backpack, hard in the ribs.

“What?” Angelina Johnson barked annoyedly without looking up. She ruefully had to concede that she had indeed forgotten to pack the newest Quidditch International Magazine. Another hard poke in her ribs made her gasp in pain. “Stop doing that, you bint. How many times have I have to tell you to use your words,” she bit out as she rubbed the sore spot in her side.

“I did, and you didn’t listen as usual,” Katie said as she kept on nudging, and jutted her chin towards something in the distance. She gave a little yelp when Angelina punched her arm. “Ow, you cow. Just look over there.”

Muttering profanities under her breath, Angelina followed Katie’s gaze. It was September first and Platform Nine and Three Quarters was packed with families and fellow Hogwarts students saying goodbye. Their chatter mixed with the hooting of caged owls, and mewling cats weaving through their owners’ legs. The steaming Hogwarts Express in the background completed the colourful and noisy picture. For Angelina, it was the same as it had always been and she couldn’t figure out what had caught Katie’s attention.

“Montague,” Katie hissed helpfully in her ear.

Angelina’s reaction to the name was as involuntarily as breathing. It always was whenever it concerned him. Without any effort, her eyes found the tall, broad-shouldered boy with tousled dark hair talking to his parents at the far end of the platform.

"Oh, right, _him_." Angelina cringed inwardly at how squeaky her voice sounded. No doubt that the million butterflies frantically fluttering in her belly had something to do with it. Heat rose up to her cheeks, and her mouth went dry as her palms became moist. She had hoped that the summer holiday would’ve been enough to recover from whatever mysterious ailments she seemed to suffer from whenever Montague was near.

Maybe, just maybe, hopefully, he had put a spell on her to mess with her. She wouldn’t put it past him; he was a Slytherin, after all.

“What about him?” Angelina asked when she was sure that she could trust her voice not to betray her. With difficulty, she tore her eyes off the boy and turned her attention to the open backpack in her hands. What was it she’d been looking for again?

“Isn’t he dreamy?” Katie said with a sigh. She then puckered her lips and hands clasped in front of her heaving chest, batting her lashes.

Annoyed, Angelina huffed and turned away from her to chance another glance in Montague’s direction, oblivious to the sly grin that crept up her friend’s face. She just wanted to see what Katie was raving about, she told herself. To her utter embarrassment, however, Montague caught her ogling him. As if that wasn’t bad enough, he did something unforgivable that threatened the stability of her knees and made Katie giggle.

Why did he have to go and do that for?

Why did he have to go and _smile_ at her? It was a broad and genuine smile that seemed to light up his whole face, to boot. And then he winked, and Angelina’s knees threatened to give out. Sure that her head would explode if she kept on staring at him, she abruptly turned her back and rolled her eyes at Katie. There was only one acceptable answer she could give to Katie’s question;

“He’s an inbred troll, like his cousin, Flint. And we all know what you think of _him_ ,” Angelina said, shaking her head in disgust. She was proud of how convincing she sounded. It wasn’t that hard; everyone knew Katie had a horrible taste in blokes. “Honestly, babes, how hard did you hit your head again?”

* * *

**TBC**


	2. Undone

It was such a silly thing to obsess over, but when it came to Miss Angelina Johnson, Graham couldn’t help but obsess about every little because he had so little already. Perhaps that was why a mostly insignificant encounter that morning threw him off. That he’d ever reach this point in their non-existing relationship hadn’t crossed his mind when he woke up that morning.

For six years, they had been Johnson and Montague to each other, whenever they weren’t calling each other every name under the sun in the pitch. Imagine his surprise when after discreetly following her around since before the summer holidays in hopes to catch her alone, he accidentally and quite literally ran into her on their way to Transfiguration class. Whilst he got the wind knocked out of him, her books went flying in every direction as she fell back on her bum. ( _The brief flash of her knickers was more than enough wank material for the next couple of days_ )

“Are you alright?” he asked as he held out his hand to help her back on her feet. ( _He may or may not have hoped on another flash of her green knickers._ )

Johnson didn’t answer and ignored his outstretched hand as she hastily scrambled to her knees. Muttering under her breath, she started gathering her books and parchments. For some reason, she refused to look at him.

He wasn’t that unsightly, was he?

“Here, let me help you.” Determined to seize the opportunity and woo Ms Johnson, Graham picked up a weighty tome, but she snatched it out his hands. 

Johnson got up, her books clutched to her chest. “I’m fine. Look, I have to go, McGonagall’s gonna have my head if I’m late again.”

“Late again? How did you manage that? It’s the first lesson of the year,” Graham joked but his chuckles died at the withering look she gave him. He nervously cleared his throat and tried again. “I’ll walk with you. I mean, we’re in the same class.” 

Graham had meant well; honestly, he had. Even though he could be a crude and unmannered twatwaffle according to his little sister, his mum had raised a gentleman. 

He could’ve pulled her into the broom cupboard they were standing in front of, for example, just to see if she tasted and felt as good as she looked. And Gods did he want to get his hands on her, but he kept them to himself. He would’ve given his wand arm for the chance, but he had self-restraint, like a proper gentleman. His mum would be so proud of him.

Determined to make the best of the unexpected encounter, Graham wreaked his brain to come up with something smooth quickly to convince Johnson to take a chance on him when it happened. Not everyone could understand the gravity of such a thing. If anything, they probably would have missed it or dismissed it something insignificant even. But Graham knew that Johnson said so much more than the few words that fell from her lips. 

“I know what you’re doing, and I want it to end,” said Johnson, her voice soft but pleading. “It’s too much. We can’t… Please, _Graham_ , leave me alone.”

He didn’t make it to Transfiguration that day, and he was sure that she hadn’t either because she had scurried off in the wrong direction before he could stop her. 

_Graham_

Angelina Johnson had said his name. Had she noticed that she had said it? Such a silly thing to obsess over, true but to Graham Montague, hearing the girl he was head over feet in love with say his name in something other than malice or mockery was one of the most significant victories in his life. 

He could only dream of hearing her say it again. 

But first, he needed to convince her that they _could_.


	3. Done Away With

Not for the first time, Angelina wondered what it was about Graham Montague that made her lose sight of her principles. It was becoming a bigger problem with each passing day, and she wasn’t sure for how much longer she could fight temptation. 

Angelina pressed her head against the door of the changing room. He was waiting on the other side, she knew; Alicia had been kind enough to let her know when she left thirty minutes ago. Although Quidditch was cancelled in favour of the Triwizard Tournament, the Gryffindor team had decided to keep up with their practices. She had been grateful for that since it helped her clear her mind and even for an hour or two made her forget about _him_.

Looked like he didn’t like to be forgotten.

Eyes screwed shut, Angelina heaved a sigh. She tried to muster up the courage to face Montague and remind him of the reasons why there couldn’t be anything between them. Firstly, he was a Slytherin and she a Gryffindor; they were natural enemies. There were probably laws prohibiting such unions. Secondly, Fred. After years of hoping and wishing, he’d quite recently started seeing her as an actual girl, and not one of the blokes with a girly name. 

Last but certainly not least; Montague had a girlfriend. The petite, blonde Ravenclaw was obviously smitten by him. Why would he bother with her when he had a girl like that worshipping the very ground he walked on? Was he looking for a cheap thrill? Trying to mess with her head perhaps? 

Whatever it was, Angelina refused to be the other woman. Although she loved her father dearly, the hurt his unending philandering ways had caused her mother, was something she’d never forget. Knowing that, she could not, would not willingly contribute to someone else’s heartbreak.

It was time to let Graham know that she wouldn’t fall for it. She was better than that.

She was better than that. And that was exactly what she intended to tell him. 

They couldn’t. 

The door opened, and like she had known that he would, Montague stood there. His bright blue eyes lit up when he laid eyes on her, and the corners of his mouth curled up into a shy smile. It was the start of her descend into temptation. 

“Hi.” 

Angelina swallowed hard, not sure how to say what she had wanted to say. Then he took a step closer, then another until they stood nose to nose. She knew that she had to speak up before something regrettable happened. She had to remind him of his girlfriend. He had no business chasing other girls around. 

“You’re not running,” he said quietly as he lightly touched her cheek, his thumb gently caressing her lips.

Not trusting her voice, she shook her head. Could he hear her heart beating fast? He had to; the drumming was deafening. What if he got the wrong idea?

She couldn’t, she wouldn’t.

Then his lips touched hers, and logic went flying out the window. It was as if the part of Angelina’s brain that had held all the reasons she could not be involved with Graham Montague had decided to switch itself off. The part that told her that those blue eyes of his would surely never lie to her took over, whispering incessantly to give the poor lad a chance.

And as he wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her close, their kiss deepening, Angelina reckoned that she should give him a chance. 

She couldn’t quite remember why she shouldn’t.


	4. Running Away

The Yule Ball and Weird Sisters was a pleasant buzz in the background so high up in the sky. Just enough melody reached their ears form them to sway to the rhythm, their bodies and foreheads pressed against each other. 

Angelina had never believed in running away from your problems. It was, after all, a cowardice solution that did not fix anything. Besides, she was a Gryffindor through and through. She was one of the brave ones. Gryffindors did not run but faced their problems head-on. 

Until _him_. Until her feelings for Graham had grown out of hand. The mere thought of him made her head spin and heart swell until she thought it would burst.

Was this how being in love felt? 

She couldn’t pinpoint the exact moment it had changed, the moment he had gone from Montague to _Graham_. Seeing him each morning at breakfast, even from afar, had the power to brighten up her day. But tonight, high up in the dark Astronomy Tower, she wished she could run away.

She had evaded Graham for weeks after their last encounter. The guilt she had felt at betraying his girlfriend had eaten her alive. But she wasn’t strong enough to keep it up any longer. The urge to be near him, hold him, and tastes his lips was stronger than the will to do the right thing. 

For a fleeting second, her conscious acted up, and she wanted to push him off and walk away before… Before what exactly?

His lips touched hers, and Angelina was glad that she had stayed. She was done running away from Graham. 

How terrible it would’ve been to miss this.


	5. Blind

“Aren’t you and Johnson, erm,” Adrian Pucey said, trailing off as he awkwardly waved his hand. “I mean, you two are a _thing_ these days, yeah?”

“What? No, what gave you that idea?” The lie fell fast and easy from Graham’s lips. Although they hadn’t discussed it in detail, he and Angelina were boyfriend and girlfriend. Of course, they were. Or at least, he thought they were. She hadn’t told any of her friends yet, and he was following her lead in this. He’d be damned if he chased her away because he got too pushy on the issue.

“Why d’you ask?” Graham still asked a very sceptical looking Adrian. He wasn’t curious or anything, just wanted to know what his friend on his mind.

Adrian rolled his eyes but otherwise kept any snarky remarks to himself. “It’s just that I saw her and one of the identical Weasels walk to the Quidditch pitch. They seemed to be very cosy with each other if you know what I mean. I reckoned that if she was your, well, _not girlfriend_ , you’d want to know.”

“Right, but she’s not.” Montague nodded, lips pursed tightly as the crease between his eyebrows deepened. Angelina was good friends with the Weasleys for years now, of course, they’d be comfortable around each other. 

But cosy?

Surely not.

Almost as if a switch flipped, Graham dropped his Transfiguration book and jumped up. Too deep in thought, he was unaware of Pucey’s belling shaking guffaws. It took less than two seconds to make up his mind, and he was out of the library in the blink of an eye. 

Angelina and Weasley weren’t hard to spot. They were sitting in the tall grass, and Graham was just in time to see the Ginger Git put his arm around Angelina’s shoulders and pull her close. Although Graham couldn’t quite hear what was said, her giggle was unmistakable. And here he was, thinking that she giggled like that only for him. 

It was like watching a horrible accident unfurl; he just couldn’t look away. It was as if someone drove a hot blade into his gut when he saw Weasley put his hands on either side of Angelina’s face. That blade was twisted a few times over when their lips touched. Graham was sure that he was going to sick up his supper when he realised that Angie was actually letting Weasley kiss her without a fight. 

Graham decided that he’d seen enough, and turned around with his head ducked and fists balled deep inside his trouser pockets. His steps held a lot less urgency to them as he returned to the castle. Perhaps he ought to have said something, challenged Weasley to a duel, he thought on the way. But then again, maybe he had put too much stock in whatever it was that he and Angelina had. 

How blind was he for not cottoning on sooner?


End file.
